Improvement in metallic burial-cases



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMOS O. BARSTOW, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN METALLIC BURIAL-CASES.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,1184, dated January 27, 1863.

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that 1, AMos C. Bnns'row, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Metallic Burial- Gases; and I do hereby declare that the folliwing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, to which reference is hereinafter made, is a full and exact specication of the same.

In metallic coftins or burial-cases the great owjects sought to be obtained besides strength are beauty and lightness. Metallic coflins were heretofore made of comparative lightness, by conforming, as nearly as possible, with the shape ofthe human body they were intended to inclose, but when so constructed the form of the coiiin in its general appearance is suggestive of the corpse, which, to many, is a sight unpleasant and repulsive. Tnus lightness was attained at the expense of beauty. 0n the other hand, metallic cofns were made of a tasteful configuration or shape and more or less ornamented, but then no regird was or could be paid, consistently with the design adopted, to the great desideratum in metallic coflins-zl e., lightness. Thus beauty of design was attained at the cost of lightness.

The object of my invention is to combine in metallic burial-cases beauty of design with lightness. I have accomplished this by dividing the upper shell or covering-lid from the lower shell, according to a line situate in two planes forming an angle at or about that part ofthe coffin which presents the greatest width transversely.

In` the accompanying drawings I have shown different views of a metallic cofln or burial-case constructed in accordance with my invention.

In the said drawings, Figure lis a top view, Fig. 2 a side view, and Fig. 3 a perspective view, thereof. Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on lines A B and O D of Fig. 1, respectively.

The metallic burial-case in these figures is composed of two parts-viz., the case proper a and its covering-lid c. The former consists of a cast-iron shell converging upon all its sides toward the bottom plate with which it is cast in one piece. The sides,it will be seen,

are corrugated in the longitudinal sense, to give to the casting, although exceedingly thin and light, the requisite strength. The shell tapers in width from the part corresponding to the breast and shoulders of the human body toward the head and the feet thereof. In height or depth itis gradually reduced from its widest part toward the feet, so that the upper edge of the shell, which corresponds to the head, shoulders, and breast, shall be horizontal or parallel with the bottom, while that part thereof corresponding to the lower portion of the body is inclined, forming an obtuse angle with the former.

The covering-lid is made to conform in shape with the contour of the lower shell and presents alevel surface from the breast toward the head and forms an inclined plane from the breast to the feet. The upper edge of the lower shell I provide with grooved flanges b, into which a projecting rim on the under side of the covering-lid fits. To strengthen the casting of the covering-lid I allow the edge to lap over the ila-nge of the lower shell. The level portion of the lid may form the frame to and have inserted into it a glass plate, g, which, in its turn, may be furnished with a second cover, d, fitting over a projecting rim around the glass and secured by screws, f f, as shown. Handles h may be cast or riveted or may be otherwise secured to the lid or to some other convenient part of the coffin, or they may be entirely dispensed with, particularly in childrens cotfins.

Having thus fully described my invention and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, I shall state my claim as follows:

The method herein described of constructing metallic burial-cases by dividing the upper shell or covering-lid from the lower shell, according to a line situate in two planes forming an angle at that part of the case which presents the greatest width transversely.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

A. G. BARSTOW. Witnesses.:

A. PoLLoK, EDM. F. BROWN. 

